detailas

Love : parktronic, distronic, keyless-go, folding mirrors.

Rarely use : linguatronic, pulse seats, interior motion sensor.


George

++

dogma

parktronic is used everyday.

distronic is great but I don't do a lot of long trips on the highway.

keyless go is useful, but I still have to carry the key around for valet and car wash.

navigation in the '03 is very poor.

I really like the memory function in the rear view mirror.

blueSL

Parktronic, Keyless, Mirrors for sure; Linguatronic, Pulse Seats, even Cooled Seats are not worth it, though the cooled seats might be useful in a hot climate. I just find the air throughput to be feeble. Don't have TV or Distronic, don't miss them.

blueSL

I agree the navigation in the early cars is poor, better in the later ones but I just don't like this car enough to buy one. To me, it's more like an appliance and I don't update my clothes washer because they come out with a new display.

Scotsman

Love: Bi-xenons, parktronic, brake hold, panorama roof.
Waste of money: linguatronic, 6-CD player.

blueSL

Isn't it just? With an iPod holding 600 CDs and costing less than the changer, it really is time manufacturers woke up to providing integration with iPods and the like. My car has an aux socket in the glove box but I believe later cars do not. One of the very few advantages of having the older Sat Nav.

Scotsman

Yeah, it's annoying Blue. Had to have the 6-CD when ordering the R-class as it's part and parcel of COMAND. Never use it nor the 10-CD in the Jeep.
But what can you do?!! Should be optional, especially in the SL where interior space is at a premium.

blueSL

Are Mercedes forcing you to have their own vehicle tracking system or do they still use Tracker? Porsche now have their own (more expensive) system and fitting a Tracker voids the car's electrical warranty... it sucks.

Scotsman

No mention or option to have Tracker at all which I was surprised at.
Not even sure if the insurance company will demand one yet. Will have to look into it soon I guess. MB can have one fitted while they're doing their thorough pre-inspection.

detailas

My car has the aux socket in the glovebox, but the downside is that if you hook up an iPod, you still need to control the tracks etc from the iPod itself (not from the steering wheel controls apart from the volume), let alone that there is no power outlet for the iPod.

My daily driving to the office & back is about 15 mins. On a night out, another hour or so, therefore having 6 cd's loaded, plus nice radio stations is fine, however I would prefer the changer's ability to also play mp3's...

Oh, and my wife also loves the cup holders for her latte....

George

++

Vik888

Although there might not be an aux socket, the later models that have DVD-NAV support mp3-dvd's .. thats about 1000 average mp3s @ 128kbps.

dogma

I had the local car stereo shop install a line from the glove box to the center armrest console for the mp3 player. It seems much more convenient to keep it closer.

dogma

Cooled seats on the SL is a useless function. I found out from the dealer that it only draws ambient air from the car. There is no connection to the a/c system.

Cooled seats on my Lincoln Navigator work much better.

Itzkirb

Keyless go and vented seats

vantage78

Isn't the standard Teleaid a tracking device? As far I know, the police can use Teleaid to locate your car.

blueSL

Sorry, this is a UK thing - a box that uses GPS to know where it is and communicates via the mobile phone network to allow police to track the car.

Scotsman

Exactly Vik888. That's why multiplay CD's should be optional with COMAND.
Much better playing MP3 DVD's. Takes a while to burn but well worth it.

Sgooter

Best Option?
1. Keyless Go (most valued option)
2. Bi-Xenons
3. Trim Pkg
4. Comfort Pkg

Best Standard Feature?
1. The R230 body style - the finest looking car ever made
2. Retractable hardtop

RENNtech-er

Like: keyless go; parktronic; AMG sport package
50/50 about: distronic (it's annoying sometimes)
Could do without: nav; vented/pulse seats
Wish I had: '05 shift paddles

las3075

FYI, I also hated the nav and lack of ipod/sat on the 03. I just had installed the alpine ivaw200 with nav, sirius and total ipod control with search by playlist, artist, song, etc. Looks great, sounds great too. Lost the phone keypad, but alpine also has a bluetooth adapter. Was able to preserve the cupholders and the clock is still on but since it was controlled from COMAND I'll have to figure how to disable it, as the alpine has a clock anyway.

vraa

+ keyless go, distronic, pano-roof

ventilated seats are nice in the afternoon where it's hot and the heated seats are nice when it's cold in the morning

i wish i had drive dynamic versus the 'pulse' seats. the massaging function seems almost useless.

wish i had parktronic after using it on the LS430, with i had bi-xen's

glad i don't have the amg kit (wouldn't be happy to deal with the scratches from parking over curbs)

i'm sure i've missed a few options.

las3075

Forgor to add i installed a back up camera in the front lower grill mesh (SL55) for the parking bumpers. Because its in the front left and right are reversed but it really helps.

Energy34108

Hey guy's since you seem to be a bit more into the options on these cars.

I bought the sl 600 renntech because they told me it came with every available option and that saves me time from picking and choosing, however I never saw my mirrors fold, and how do you see the dvd's? we only hear ours.

I hate my nav, it just has no clue what I want it to do. lol
We use every other option and enjoy knowing they are there.
Thanks in advanced for helping out